


The Imperiopedia

by midnightprelude



Series: What We Have Lost [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Encyclopedia, Gen, Lore Guide, Reference material, Thedas (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 03:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20464040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightprelude/pseuds/midnightprelude
Summary: Oddly enough, I’ve gotten requests from folk who want to readInto the Imperiumfandom-blind, not having any familiarity with Dragon Age at all, which I find quite baffling. So, I’ve decided to start compiling important details that will make it a bit easier to understand the situations, especially since this set of stories takes place in the 3rd game and beyond. Here we go.This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to Dragon Age, but more of a lore refresher or guide for folks coming in fandom-blind and are interested in reading Into the Imperium. It'll also have descriptions of my OCs which are left deliberately vague in Imperium, as well as an explainer of my world state. Sort of a who’s who and what’s what of the world of Imperium. And it’s a big one, folks, so this is as much a work in progress as anything else I’m working on. :P





	1. Frequently Asked Questions

_How would you describe Imperium and the Imperioverse?_

Imperium is best described as a post-Trespasser, post-Inquisition Solavellan fic. What that means is that it takes place _after _the final DLC (Trespasser) of the most recently released game (Dragon Age: Inquisition; the 3rd main game in the series). Solavellan is the main _romantic _relationship in the story, but by no means the only one. Solavellan is a portmanteau of a female **Lavellan**, which is just the clan name of the elven player character and protagonist of DA:I and **Solas**, who is a non-player character who can accompany the main character in Dragon Age Inquisition.

_How does the Ariverse connect with Imperium?_

Ariverse is actually an AU of my AU, featuring Lethendralis’s female Hawke, Eris, her love Fenris, and their child together, Ariadna instead of my own Hawke. It is _quite possible_ that any Imperium sequel will feature a teenaged Ariadna. Don’t tell Leth. ;)

_You don’t describe your original characters (Lavellan/The Inquisitor or Hawke). Did you do this on purpose?_

Yes. I like to imagine my own OCs in Dragon Age stories, so I’ve avoided naming or giving much physical description for these characters. In Ariverse, I _do _give you more insight into them because I am specifically writing the parts for Eris and Aryll.

_Why do Eris/Ariadna/Aryll all have similar names?  
_Oops.

_Who is [Lethendralis](https://lethendralis-paints.tumblr.com/) and why is she such a “witch of the paintbrush”/ “goddess posing as a human” / “ridiculously talented amazing person”?_

I’m pretty sure she’s either Katniss Everdeen or a Ukrainian princess. Probably both. But to be honest, I just saw Leth’s art on Tumblr, knew I wanted a piece of it and offered her money for beautiful artwork. She blew my mind and I wrote some stories for her in repayment. And then she gave me more art. And then more stories? And then we both cried. And now we’re friends, I hope.

_What are your plans for Imperium?_

Currently, Imperium has been outlined to the final climax, with the epilogue also roughly in my head. I'm always underestimating things, but I've already outlined 30 chapters, not including the falling action. I've a sequel planned (in the Ariverse). I've companion stories and one-shots. I am fully obsessed with these characters and I'd like to see them to the end, through my DA4 and DA5 headcanon events. 

_Who is your favorite character to write?_

I mean, obviously I love my Lavellan. I think my style fits well with Solas as well. And I love writing sillier characters, such as Varric and Dorian. In truth, I love them all. 


	2. Original Character Descriptions: Aryll Lavellan and Elliot Hawke

**Aryll Lavellan**

_Face Claim:_ Alicia Vikander

_Born:_ 9:12 Dragon

_Age at Conclave Explosion:_ 29 years

_Fighting style:_ Warrior

_Weapon of choice:_ Bastard sword (hand-and-a-half); Jon Snow also uses one of these!

_Occupation prior to Inquisition:_ Originally a hunter, but then an ambassador to clan Lavellan living amongst the city elves in Wycome.

_Romance: _Solas; he leaves at the end of Inquisition, leaving her heartbroken

_Personality: _During Inquisition, she's known for her wit and charm. After Solas leaves the party, she sinks into a depression, unsure what had happened to him. After he returns, she's lost some of her spark, but it slowly returns over the course of Imperium.

* * *

**Elliot Hawke**

_Face Claim: _Hale Appleman (yeah, and his name is Elliot, so real original Midnight...)

_Born:_ 9:06 Dragon

_Age at Conclave Explosion:_ 35 years

_Fighting style:_ Mage, prefers flame magic

_Romance: _Fenris; Hawke leaves Fenris before Inquisition, fearing that the Templars will try to use Fenris against him if they remain together

_Personality: _Hawke tends to hide his emotions behind a veneer of sarcasm and joviality, but during Inquisition, he is notably more serious, the facade cracking.


	3. Dragon Age II World State

**The Champion of Kirkwall: Elliot Hawke**

** **

_Who were they?_

Elliot was a human mage who supported mage freedom during the Kirkwall Rebellion

_Attitude_

Elliot is diplomatic, but with a biting wit. He deals with difficult situations with humor, but is typically sincere with his companions.

_Romance_

Elliot fell for the brooding escaped slave Fenris, and fell hard. Though not always easy, their relationship has been pivotal during some of the harder times of Hawke’s life. After the Rebellion, Elliot reluctantly left Fenris because he thought it would be safer for them to part ways. It broke his heart, but he couldn’t live with himself if anything happened to his lover.

_Bethany and Carver’s fates_

Hawke’s sister Bethany died at the beginning of the game.

His younger brother Carver was taking into the Deep Roads, and accidentally ingested darkspawn blood (see also: 'don't put that in your mouth, you moron') and started dying from the corruption. Anders, one of Hawke’s companions was able to save Carver by taking them to become a Grey Warden.

_Varric's friendship_

Varric was one of Elliot’s best friends.

_Bartrand's fate_

Varric's brother abandons you both in the Deep Roads in Act 1 while he absconds with a totally-not-evil idol made of red lyrium. In Act 2 you track him down to discover that the idol has (surprise!) driven him to kill a whole bunch of people. Varric was convinced to spare his brother and send Bartrand to a sanatorium because he was corrupted by the lyrium.

_Investigate the haunting_

In Act 3, Varric will ask you to investigate his brother's mansion again. Vases are floating around on their own. Screams echo from empty corridors. Spectres run across your field of vision and vanish. The mansion looks exactly like at least four other locations in Kirkwall. At least three of these things are evidence of a haunting. Hawke went on this expedition.

_Varric and the idol_

Varric will start to covet a fragment of Bartrand's red lyrium idol towards the end of his Act 3 mission. You can either let him keep it in the hope that it might help with Bartrand's condition, or you can force him to snap out of it. Hawke did not allow Varric to keep the idol, fearing for his sanity under the corrupting influence.

_Isabella_

Isabella was recruited. The key moment in her relationship with Hawke comes when it is discovered that the artifact she's been chasing is a sacred Qunari book whose absence is forcing the hostile occupiers to remain in the city.

This comes to a head at the end of Act 2, when Isabella retrieves the tome and flees the city - and Hawke. Hawke was close enough to her that she returned the tome back to the Qunari.

Following this, the Qunari Arishok demands that Isabella be handed over to face justice. Hawke refused, dueling the Arishok to the death to save his friend.

_Fenris_

Fenris was recruited and Hawke helped him to kill his former master, but prevented him from killing his sister for betraying him. Hawke siding with the mages angered Fenris, but he was able to overcome his anger and helped Hawke fight against the Templars in the final battle. At the end of the game, Fenris is alive and no longer hunted by his master.

_Merrill_

Merrill was recruited and became close friends with Hawke, though he feared her dabbling in blood magic. Hawke gave her the arulin’holm she needed to repair a tainted eluvian, against his better judgement. He decided she was a fully grown woman, damn it, and capable of making her own decisions. And if they turned out poorly, he’d be there to pull her from them.

When Merrill goes to a demon for advice and find out that it had possessed her Keeper, Hawke helps destroy the Keeper and her parasite. Hawke will not blame Merrill for this outcome when asked by her clan and they will be forced to kill all of Clan Sabrae who attacked them after learning the truth.

At the end of the game, Merrill is alive and well, living in Kirkwall, with her mirror nonfunctional but intact.

_Merrill's clan_

Hawke and company were forced to kill Merrill’s clan after dealing with her Keeper. Merrill is crushed.

_Aveline_

Hawke helped Aveline get closer to Donnic and they end up marrying.

She remains allied with Hawke throughout the game.

_Anders_

Returning from Awakening with a spirit of Justice trapped inside him and a bone to pick with the Templars, Anders ultimately forces conflict between the two sides by blowing up Kirkwall's chantry and everybody inside - with or without Hawke's help. Hawke's role can be oppositional to Anders, supportive of him or deceived by him. Hawke disapproves of Anders’s methods, but he supports the apostate’s desire to free the mages from their forced servitude and abuse.

After blowing up the chantry, Hawke decides to spare Anders, giving him the chance to redeem himself and return to a life of healing others and live out his remorse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to PC Gamer's DA Keep guide for reminding me of everything... o.O  
https://www.pcgamer.com/dragon-age-keep-guide/10/


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